JD compacts made in Japan & China

[bigpete]

I remember reading in a press release many moons ago that JD has several finance/engineering based strategic manufacturing partnerships including one with Branson in South America. I don't think these arrangements have any connection to the products that we consume here in the States. AS most of you guys are saying, and in the pirated prose of Forest Gump, quality is as quality does.

I also noticed that the member that started this thread has posted only on the topic of Chinese tractors built out of U.S.-based strategic manufacturing partnerships. Of course that means nothing, except, perhaps, that the poster may enjoy dropping a match and stepping back to watch the spark turn first to a flicker, then to a flame, then to a blaze.

Hey! That's arson! /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif

 

[Bob_Skurka]

First, let me state that I would never buy another JOHN DEERE product, and I own 2 pieces of small JD equipment currently. BUT my bias against Deere is not against the company, it is against my LOCAL DEALER who, in my mind . . . ok I won't say what I feel.

As a company, however, JD has widely persued international trade over the past decade. Up into the 1980's John Deere was pretty much only available as a North American product, now it is a global product and it is a top quality product world wide. I totally agree with coyboydoc that it is IMPOSSIBLY to compare the quality of JD to the Chinese imports and say they are similar.

There are a handful of companies that place a premium on quality of every part, every feature and every design. John Deere, Case-New Holland and Kubota are three of those companies that charge more for their products because their products are better engineered, better designed and have higher levels of fit, finish and quality control than some other brands.

When it comes to comparing premium tractors to budget import tractors it is no different than trying to compare a cheap watch to a good one, both tell time, both will probably work for you, one can be handed down as an heirloom and still be working properly, but both will tell you what time it is. Both tractors will work fine, get the job done, but one will become a classic and the other won't.

 

[art]

Bob, you hit a key note with the quality. I do believe that there is a reason for a low price. There are new metals that are more expensive to buy and they are not as easy to make. Some of the new economical tractor companies talk of weight, that is not always a good thing. Many times it is puttting the tractor at to much weight before it is balanced from front to rear. The reason they do weigh so much is the cruder castings that have to be thicker and have more air pockets to weaken them. There is a lot to tractors and more then most people know or care to. The tractor manufacturers all set there own standard of quality when they go abroad to build. It isn't that they reduce quality, they more then likely are trying to increase quality with a lower intitial cost to build. Take a look at the company, not at it's advertising and look at it's repair record and cost to own. The bitterness of poor quality lingers long after the sweetness of a cheap price is forgotten!

 

[NIXON]

I don't own a Deere . But I do believe that they have a quality and performance standard that is quite well respected . I don't think for a minute that they will sacrifice that standard for a price advantage . No matter WHERE the machine is made it'll still be made to their standard of fit finish and quality . To do otherwise would put an end to their reputation and sales .
JMHO John

 

[Docsknotinn]

I am under the impression that the 2210 is assembled in Ga and only the engine is a Yanmar. Many of the other parts are us made like the Transaxle by Dana Corp. Dave

 

[bigpete]

Doc and Mhalla, you guys are absoutely correct. I guess I was trying to make a subtle point about origins of tractors and component parts without an emphasis of whether such things really matter. I think the most valid points can be pulled from the above posts about "discount" versus "name brand" and whether people should have any expectation of support after the sale.

Even a JD (or Kubota or Ford, for that matter) can be well designed, well assembled, and become a low-quality tractor without a support network. I suppose that is one of the risk assessments that a company like JD would have to make before plopping down the bling-bling to back a venture like the one in China. I'm sure Kubota had to consider its support network in North America before it blitzed the market with high quality smaller tractors. Without the dealer network and parts stream, they most certainly would have been short-lived. If the distribution and support channel is weak for JD's partnership in China, technical superiority will only last until the first failure and won't matter a hoot into the following demise of its reputation. The image and future of any imported product is only as solid as the way it is represented and supported by post-production members of the supply chain.

So does it really matter anymore where the parts originate or where the tractor is assembled? I say yes and no, but I say no more often these days as long as the company has established its value chain all the way out to the end user. The tractor industry is going to be an interesting economic sudy in a few years. Heck, it already is. /forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif

 

[Tractors4u]

It has been pointed out that the guy who started this thread has only posted Chinese tractor related threads thus far. I think there are some out there that are trying to make themselves feel better or justify a Chinese brand tractor by tying it to a main stream brand. If you want to buy the Chinese tractor, buy it and use it and quit trying to convince everybody else of how good it is.

 

[rockyridgefarm]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( Really? What model compaired to what model )</font>

The latest Northern catalog i have shows the 30Hp Nortrac with loader and backhoe at $19K. There is no special deal on financing, while the Deere 4310 Syncshift with 430 loader and 47backhoe was $20K and no interest financing. (as quoted when I was buying)

The Deere has a real warranty, and no delivery charge.

So I was a little off, the Deere is only cheaper if you finance it, or if the jinma breaks once.

 

[bigpete]

Sorry Rockyridgefarm, you are wrong. Given the concept of "present value of money," the 0% financing offer on the JD as you have presented, and assuming even the most competitive of financing rates, the tractor from Northern Tool will be more expensive within a year. Now if both units break at the same point in lifetime useage...well, the Nortrac will still be more expensive.

Sorry to call you on a financial technicality. /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif

Regards,

 

[KENSFM]

Dave, the JD 2210 is built in Japan by Yanmar, with the exception of the tires and the SMV emblem most of the other parts are non US. Great little tractor I have one.
Ken /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif